Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

In the Deputy's question, he recognised that this measure applied across the public service. It is not confined to teaching. Indeed, it applies in the House where newer Deputies are on lower pay than long-standing ones. It will be resolved across the public service and within the context of collective agreements, which is the importance of the Lansdowne Road agreement.

We are determined to unwind FEMPI, but we must realise that there are crying needs to be met. For example, the House just discussed special education, and there are major needs to be met in health, education and housing. The Lansdowne Road agreement offers a way of balancing people's rightful ambition to see pay restored with the need to invest in public services. This is the Government's approach while recognising the importance of the issue the Deputy has raised.

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